At What Cost?

A Boston research organization has just released its study on the brains of athletes, mainly those involved in football, wrestling, boxing, and hockey, and a brain disease called CTE. Apparently, the concussions that these athletes receive in their relatively short careers cause a type of dementia that exhibits itself first in depression and aggressive behavior, and finally in loss of memory and then death. And it's not just elderly athletes who are affected. They've found the same CTE protein evidence in the brains of young boys who have died because of football head injuries.

There's some discussion now that perhaps the footballer who killed his girlfriend and then himself this past weekend may have suffered from CTE. If not, does it even matter?There's sufficient evidence now that football is a dangerous sport--we all know this is true of boxing as well, and it's time to stop both.  Parents who permit their sons to play football are irresponsible and if they haven't realized this on their own, it's time the rest of us point it out. I can understand how fame and money might attract young players even despite the risks but the adults who watch and coach are the guilty ones. How is it any different from watching gladiators duel to the death in ancient Rome? We just not there to see the end game.